Project Manager Tips & Hints

Web Based Project Management Software

Web Based Project Management Software

Project Planning and Resource Planning

By now, the project costs and benefits have been documented, the objectives and scope have been defined, the project team has been appointed and a formal Project Office environment established. It is now time to undertake detailed planning to ensure that the activities performed during the execution phase of the project are properly sequenced, resourced, executed and controlled.

Create a Project Plan
The first step in the Project Planning phase is to document the Project Plan. A ‘Work Breakdown Structure’ (WBS) is identified which includes a hierarchical set of phases, activities and tasks to be undertaken to complete the project. After the WBS has been agreed, an assessment of the level of effort required to undertake each activity and task is made. The activities and tasks are then sequenced, resources are allocated and a detailed project schedule is formed. This Project Plan is the key tool used by the Project Manager to assess the progress of the project throughout the project Lifecycle.

Create a Resource Plan
Immediately after the Project Plan is formed, the level of resource required to undertake each of the activities and tasks listed within the Project Plan will need to be allocated. Although generic resource may have already been allocated in the Project Plan, a detailed Resource Plan is required to identify the:

• Type of resource required, such as labor, equipment and materials
• Quantity of each type of resource required
• Roles, responsibilities and skill-sets of all human resource required
• Specifications of all equipment resource required
• Items and quantities of material resource required.

A schedule is assembled for each type of resource so that the Project Manager can review the resource allocation at each stage in the project.